Loading…
UN/LOCODE BHMIN · Bahrain
Mina Sulman is Bahrain's principal commercial port, on Manama's south side. Shore leave is granted to seafarers with a seaman's book + shore pass under Bahraini procedure — friendlier and less bureaucratic than Saudi Arabia across the causeway. Bahrain is broadly cosmopolitan and English-speaking. Mission to Seafarers operates in Manama.
Mina Sulman is 5-10 minutes from central Manama and the Bahrain Financial Harbour district by taxi. The King Fahd Causeway to Saudi Arabia is 25 km west; crossing requires a Saudi visa which most seafarers won't have.
ATMs: Ahli United Bank, Al Salam Bank, Standard Chartered — everywhereMoney changers: Bahrain Financing Company, Al Rajhi in the malls and souqHospital: BDF Hospital, Salmaniya Medical Complex (public), American Mission HospitalPrayer rooms: default (majority-Muslim country)Halal food: default; alcohol available in licensed hotels and restaurantsSupermarket: LuLu, Carrefour, Al Jazira in the major shopping centresSIM card: Batelco, STC, Zain at the airport or any mall
Do: enjoy the more relaxed dress code + presence of licensed venues compared with Saudi Arabia or Sharjah. Don't: engage in political discussions about the 2011-onwards internal tensions or the ongoing regional situation. Watch for: Bahrain sits between Saudi + Qatar geopolitically; occasionally-changing border rules for third-country nationals. Confirm visa status before planning shore leave.
Last verified: 2026-07-01